Date

4-29-2026

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Chair

Michelle Burson

Keywords

Christian Perfection, entire sanctification, expository preaching, gospel, holiness, salvation, Wesleyan theology

Disciplines

Christianity | Religion

Abstract

The problem identified in this thesis is that the adult members of Hopewell Methodist Church do not possess a Wesleyan view of the gospel and its goal. The action research project employs expository preaching to convey doctrinal truths discovered in Scripture. The project involved preaching an eight-week series of expository sermons on selected Scripture passages, covering foundational doctrines of the faith and explaining the gospel. The purpose of the sermon series was to introduce the congregation to John Wesley’s doctrine of holiness and to instate a Wesleyan view of the gospel. Furthermore, participants had the opportunity to join a weekly focus group to examine the sermon topic in greater depth. The eight-week series covered four themes: the image of God, the nature of man, the way of salvation, and the work of the Spirit. The doctrinal knowledge of each of the four themes, including the Spirit’s work that brings forth Christian Perfection (i.e., entire sanctification), was gathered using a questionnaire administered both before and after the project. In addition, participants were permitted to report any changes in their understanding following each sermon by submitting a weekly attestation. The project included both tenured adult members of Hopewell Methodist Church and members who transferred from other United Methodist Church congregations. The focus group provided participants with a space for in-depth theological discussions, fostering spiritual growth. The project’s results showed a sizeable increase in knowledge of both Wesley’s doctrine of holiness and the gospel’s overall goal.

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